May I have this Dance?
by Alja
Summary: Christmas tradition calls for cookies, mulled wine and the Command board. But with Ven being asleep, Terra and Aqua decide to spend the evening differently for once.


Aqua couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of her.

Ven was sprawled all over the love seat closest to the fireplace in the living room, with one of his legs hanging over the armrest while the other one dangled off the edge of the seat. His sweater had ridden up a little, exposing a part of his stomach, and drool started to collect in corner of his mouth while he clutched a half-empty cookie jar to his chest, his face totally relaxed and calm.

Carefully as to not wake him, Aqua wiggled the cookie jar out of Ven's grasp and placed it on the coffee table, next to the Command Board the teen had fetched earlier for their traditional Christmas gaming night. Quickly searching the room, she located a fluffy blanket and draped it over his slumbering body. Tucking him in, she petted his head softly before she returned into the kitchen, nearly walking right into Terra.

"Cookie coma?"

"Cookie coma."

Terra rolled his eyes good-naturedly and stepped back to the stove where he had been heating up some mulled wine for the three of them. It was their usual ritual: After Christmas dinner, Terra and Aqua would take care of the dishes and leftovers while Ven would start a fire in the living room and fetch blankets and the Command Board for them to play all evening.

"He must have secretly eaten tons of sweets today; he usually doesn't fall asleep until our third round on the board. Now what?"

"Give him a break, Terra!" Aqua playfully nudged him with her elbow and went to fetch their favorite mugs from the cupboard while subconsciously humming along to the faint music coming from the radio on the window sill. "He was so excited he barely slept and then he ran errands for me well into the afternoon. He really deserves his sleep."

"But playing the Command board with only two people is no fun at all," Terra continued lamenting as he searched through one of the drawers to pull out a ladle, "we'll have to do something else to pass the time until he wakes up."

Aqua passed him their mugs and raised an inquisitive eyebrow while Terra nonchalantly began to pour their drinks.

"You have something in mind, then?"

"How about dancing?"

Pure surprise spread over Aqua's face. "Dancing?!" She parroted dumbly, just to make sure, and indeed, Terra nodded at the radio, placing their mugs on a tray and turning off the stove.

"We already got some music playing and I thought 'Why not?'"

Aqua crossed her arms in front of her chest. "'Why not'? You hate dancing, that's why."

Terra just shrugged when he stepped closer to Aqua. "I don't mind it as long as it makes you happy."

Heat spread through her entire being and she felt her cheeks and ears heat up as Terra stared at her lovingly, brushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Terra," she still argued, weaker this time not only due to Terra's charm but also due to his fingers lingering at her ear, waiting for the perfect opportunity to cup her cheek, and she gently curled her fingers around his, pulling his arm down to allow her to think straight. "I appreciate it, but...," looking away from him, she bit her lip before she continued, "no offense, but you've got two left feet. The Master got more exasperated teaching you how to dance than teaching Ven not to run inside of the Castle."

"How about I prove you wrong, then?"

Before Aqua was able to look up again, Terra had tugged at her hand that had grasped his own so firmly, pulling her towards him and at the same time raising their arms above their heads. He smoothly spun her around herself and she came to rest against his body in a perfect dancer's stance, her left hand holding his shoulder right above his bicep while his right hand gently pressed against her shoulder blade.

Her brain didn't manage to catch up before a new song started playing on the radio and Terra used her stunned silence to start the dance.

They danced effortlessly, even through the narrow place that the kitchen allowed them to use, turning and spinning around and she barely realized that she started to laugh happily halfway through their dance.

Too soon for Aqua's taste the song ended, and while Terra seemed way too eager to continue dancing, she pushed away from him gently, slightly breathless, and she could imagine her own cheeks being as flushed as Terra's looked.

"Terra! That was - wow!"

She spun around once, the back of her hand pressed against her forehead, before she grabbed Terra's sweater to steady herself.

"What was that?! Since when can you dance like this? And more importantly: Why did you never tell me?!"

Terra rubbed his neck in discomfort and averted his gaze.

"You know I remember my time as Ansem's apprentice Xehanort?"

Aqua nodded. Of course she did - having four sets of disjointed memories had been so overwhelming for Terra that he had been unconscious for two days upon returning.

"There was this one day when Ansem the Wise held a ball, I can't remember the reason, but," he shuffled a little bit on his feet and Aqua let go of him to give him space, "it turns out Xehanort was quite the skilled dancer."

"Oh," Aqua answered, her mouth forming the same letter.

"I thought if I had to live with his memories, I should at least make some use of them."

Aqua bit her lip and frowned at that.

They rarely talked about how Xehanort's possession of Terra made him feel and whenever she or Ven tried to talk to Terra about it, he shut down, claiming to need more time that both were more than willing to give him. But maybe it was time for them to start nudging him to talk after all?

"Sorry, it was a stupid idea."

"Huh?"

Terra shook his head. "I shouldn't have tried to use something Xehanort did - I wanted to make you happy, but-"

"You did!" Aqua cut in, tugging at his sweater, "I didn't mean to - I didn't frown because of that!"

But Terra continued to avoid her glance, so being out of alternatives, she did the one thing she knew would get his attention: She rose to her tiptoes and kissed him.

His response was immediate, leaning into the kiss and encircling her waist to pull her close while Aqua wrapped her arms around his neck to get even closer to him. When both felt the need to breathe again, Aqua pecked Terra's lips several times before embracing him tightly and Terra took this opportunity to bury his face into his favorite spot in the crook of her neck. She smiled.

"It really made me happy, Terra," she started again and raised one hand to gently caress his hair, "it doesn't matter where you got this skill from."

"I thought taking something that was forced upon me and turning it into something good might help."

Aqua hummed in agreement. "I'm sure it'll help you - as long as you do it voluntarily."

Terra raised his head from her and touched Aqua's forehead with his. Her eyes immediately fluttered close and she reveled in the touch.

"For you? Always." His hands teasingly skimmed up her back and down her arms before he held her hands tightly, leaning away from her again (much to Aqua's disappointment).

"So, my lady," he raised her hands and gently kissed the back of each one, giving her a charming grin, "may I have this dance?"


End file.
